Beauty Tips Guides

A natural diamond like blue diamond and the rest of the natural fancy colored diamonds are rare and if available, they come with the high tag price.Yes, they are sometimes available in the market, but they are so rare to the extent that most of the jewelers have never seen one.

The blue diamond sometimes varies in hues. One of the most common hues is the deep aquamarine. Diamonds with this color seem to look better in appearance with more color saturation. There are some that are too pale, known as little aquas. They do not look great on smaller stones, but they boast their beauty in large stones.

There is also the so called green tinge. But unlike the deep aquamarine, the green tinge colored diamond is not that favored, although they tend to be attractive. It is for this reason that green tinge diamond is not so common.

Aside from deep aquamarine and green tinge, the Gemological Institute of America has made eight distinct color saturation grades for the blue diamond. These colors include very light, light, fancy light, fancy, intense, deep, dark, and vivid. Certain color combinations, however, was discovered, such as the gray blue and the green blue. Well, according to some studies, these colors found in blue diamonds can be accounted to the stones boron content. It is actually the mineral, boron, which makes such color variations possible.

Just like the colorless and the rest of the colored gemstones, the blue diamond is produced in different cuts and shapes.The most well known is the round brilliant, which is but considered as the modern form. There is also the heart or romantic shape, which is designed as a modification of the round brilliant cut. For those who are romantics, this kind of cut and shape will surely suit your needs. In addition, this diamond sometimes comes in pear shape. This shape is to some degree similar to the heart shape in that it is also a modification of the round brilliant.

Today, certain modern shapes were developed for blue diamonds. Of the available, the princess cut is the most well known. It attracts thousands of customers worldwide mainly for its unique combination of square with the brilliance of a brilliant cut. Aside from princess, there is also the so called Marquise or Navette cut, which has long been deemed as better in fancy colored diamonds than in plain vanilla. Just like the basic shapes, the marquise cut is an adaptation of the round brilliant.

The blue diamond further varies in carat weight and the degree of clarity. The carat weigh, however, do not necessary denotes the quality of it. It just defines the diamond by its weight. But clarity, on the other hand, counts much. Just like the cut and color, it affects the quality and price of the blue diamond. As what many have said, the clearer the diamond is, the better it sparks and the higher it costs.

Most of these diamonds today are sold more expensive than the near colorless ones. They are often treated to obtain the desired color, and that several treatments for this gemstone have been formulated and sold for the jewelers to use.

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If you ask any colored gemstone connoisseur, they will tell you that tanzanite is becoming the most desired gem in the United States, if not the entire world! We also see this trend manifesting itself in Europe. American and European designers, collectors and tanzanite jewelry manufacturers are keenly aware that with only one relatively tiny and unique geological source in Tanzania, tanzanite pricing fluctuations have sometimes been extreme and tend to move with the current news and season of the year. In fact, wholesale tanzanite prices have more than doubled since early 2004, with regular price increases being passed to retailers on an ongoing basis.

It is tanzanite’s color and relative scarcity which has caused these dramatic price fluctuations. We all remember the days when one could purchase a very deeply colored tanzanite for around $300 per carat. There were even smaller tanzanites in the 1 to 2 carat range that had rich color. Just try finding one of these today! These tanzanites were mined mostly in the D shaft of Merelani Hill, just outside of Arusha, Tanzania. This area has since been depleted and new shafts have been opened. The color being produced by these new shafts is not quite what Block D produced. This notwithstanding, much richly-colored tanzanite is still being produced and is available.

Also, related to color, many people are astounded by the seeming glow of fine tanzanite under natural diffuse light. This is due to the fact that tanzanite is pleochroic, which simply refers to the property possessed by tanzanite of exhibiting different colors when viewed along different axes. In tanzanite’s case we see blue, violet, and red. It is no wonder why tanzanite has its appeal in the market today.

With the current supply of tanzanite being ‘controlled,” essentially, by TanzaniteOne Ltd., prices are expected to continue to increase over time, though at a more stable rate than in years past due, in large part, to a sightholder distribution network comprised, at present, of 5 sightholders. In fact, many projections indicate that some day tanzanite could be the most expensive gemstone on earth. So, the opportunity exists today to purchase tanzanite relatively inexpensively, even at $600 to $700 per carat, when compared to the prices of fine rubies, sapphires and alexandrites which sometimes sell into the $1000’s per carat.

For local tanzanite miners, when it comes to tanzanite, the process of obtaining any type of permit to mine can be expected to be met with a great deal of resistence. One only needs to look at the history of Afgem (Johannesburg) to determine this. Before TanzaniteOne Ltd. purchased all of Afgem’s interests, there existed a great deal of turmoil between the local miners and commercial tanzanite mining operations.

Afgem, as history goes, mined an approximate 8 square kilometer area at Merelani some 100km northeast of Arusha, TZ and this was known as Block C. They had been approved by the government and conducted tanzanite mining operations since the early part of 2000. Their plans were, at the time, noteworthy and they had already invested millions of dollars in their venture. The local miners, however, didn’t appreciate Afgem’s presence and often accused them of trying to force them out by creating a monopolistic environment. The newspapers were replete with stories of digruntled miners who feared that their only source of income would be jeopardized. The complaints, seemingly, were not unfounded since Afgem laser branded all of the tanzanites that they exported. The small-scale tanzanite miners were unable to afford this type of branding equipment and the result was that many of their stones were mislabeled as fake or synthetic. The perception was that this was a form of strong-arming the local tanzanite miners out of the business, since the rough they mined could not be sold.

Then…there were some in the media, feeding off the fervor of allegations espoused by local tanzanite miners, that tried to link Afgem’s alleged strong-arming issue with that of introducing apartheid, which the good citizens of Tanzania openly rejected. This perception created an uproar in local mining communities, but was seemingly dismissed in the mainstream global media outlets.

As if the local issues in Tanzania were not enough, in 2002 in response to an article that ran in the WSJ (November, 2001) alleging that supporters of major terrorists were involved in “tanzanite smuggling,” the U.S. State Department issued a statement emphatically stating that there was no link between the tanzanite industry and terrorism. This lifted a standing boycott of the gem by US jewelers and the gemstone was again marketed openly in the USA.

As of 2005, all tanzanites sold in the USA are sold under “The 2002 Tucson Protocol” which essentially states that the contents of shipped/invoiced tanzanite parcels have been mined in Tanzania and have been traded through legitimate sources. The seller warrants that the proceeds from the sale of tanzanite are/were used for legitimate purposes. The seller affixes the tanzanite warranty sticker to all tanzanite they sell.

In summary, though tanzanite is highly desired, it has a complex history to follow. Through periods of erratic pricing fluctuations and political influence, it remains a highly sought-after gem within the retail jewelry trade.

John McQueen is a long-time rockhound, lapidarist, internet entrpreneur and acclaimed freelance writer on various topics related to the gemstone and jewelry industry. For more information on purchasing fine tanzanite and other quality gemstones and jewelry on the internet, please visit his site at: http://www.eTanzanite.com

It was a blistering hot Southern California night. Sam and Carly were leaving the local hot spot after an evening of drinking and dancing with their closest friends. From a mile away, anyone could see that they were in love. They kissed and joked with each other as they made their way hand-in-hand to his brand new Harley Davidson Night Train.

Sam was twitchy, because the engagement ring he just bought for Carly was burning a hole in his pocket. He could not wait one more second to find out if she would become Mrs. Jones. Dropping to one knee like he had seen in so many movies, Sam slowly withdrew the one-carat diamond engagement ring he had found in Palm Desert only one week before.

For Carly, this was a dream come true. She was instantly sober and absolutely giddy when he slipped that engagement ring on her finger. The next morning, though, her heart crashed to her feet upon realizing that Sam had absolutely no memory of that moment that had meant so much to her. Over and over she asked herself “how could anyone forget something as important as a proposal?”

Typical Proposal Mistakes and How to Avoid Them:

Carly and Sam’s story, while true, is not typical. Most men do not forget they have proposed marriage, particularly when they have presented her with an engagement ring. However, there are some things that do commonly happen that may shatter that oh-so-romantic moment. These include:

Proposing too soon: Okay, so she takes your breath away when she enters the room, but you still want to give it a bit of time to make sure she is the one you want to spend every day with.

Pushing for an answer: You gave her the ring and your best-rehearsed “will you marry me” and she neither screamed “YES” immediately nor seemed to show the excitement you expected. This doesn’t necessarily mean that she needs prodding. In this case, it is best to give her the time she needs to think.

It’s all about her: When you plan to present her with that engagement ring it took you months to find, remember that moment is all about her-not you. Make sure the event is something she will remember for a lifetime.

Keep it simple: The more complicated you make the presentation of that engagement ring, the greater the chances of something unexpected happening. For example, a man I worked with once buried his ring in a candy dish filled with jelly beans. It took weeks for her to find it, because she was so upset that candy was all she had received for Valentines Day after seven years.

Bend like a reed in the wind: When you try to push a day or a time, the engagement process can become rigid and inflexible-not the dream of lifetime moment you are hoping for. It may take a while, but be patient and wait for that perfect moment to ask. The end result will be a cherished memory for you both.

If you follow these simple guidelines and avoid situations like Sam’s, she will remember the night you presented her with that carefully chosen engagement ring for a lifetime.

For more information from Brian Welsch about Engagement Rings check www.ringsforengagement.com

I never like to hear of problems with jewelry work or even of problems the jeweler might have from customers who have no clue as to what is going on. Good communications is the general solution for either. In your case, first appearances tell me the jeweler may have done less than the best. Then again, I am not there and only working in my thoughts with the words you have sent. Refreshing it is to have questions with enough information to actually work on a viable answer.

I am curious about the prong setting being bent. Unless the ring has a prong setting made originally as part of the ring, not soldered into the ring band but cast with the entire ring, and the ring had to be resized several sizes smaller, there should be no problem with the setting at all. Once in a while with a “made in place setting” when a ring goes down more than 2 sizes the setting can spread apart and the jeweler will have to retighten the stone.

That is fact. To be bent in another matter and I cannot explain that. It simply should not be bent unless bent when brought in to the store in the first place. Then, the person taking in the job should have informed you of that and advised correction work to straighten the setting.

Solder lines and greyish marks. Generally, I see two reasons for these marks. The first is a solder joint and possibly too soft a solder or a mismatched color of solder was used. The line shows the solder color. Sometimes when too soft a gold solder is used, polishing will erode of buff away some of the solder leaving a demarcation line, a slight recess at the solder joint. The fact that the sizing joint showed to your eyes is evidence that the work was not done with due care.

The joint could show for the above reason of buffing away at the joint or even a solder joint which was not properly fluxed and flowed smoothly with well fitted ends where the ring was cut to be sized. This should not happen when the jeweler takes the time and has the expertise to do it correctly. A correct job should show no evidence of a resizing at the solder lines.

A grayish mark may also be where white gold has discolored due to the heat of the torch in soldering the ring. This is generally preventable by application of boric acid to the metal before heat is applied. If not protected, white gold will certainly form a grayish coloration. This may be more what has happened to your ring. The solution is simple: The jeweler simply has to sand off the discoloration and repolish that area.

It should not happen in the first place but when it does a good jeweler will polish off the discoloration. I doubt the mark is a scratch. A scratch is not a different color..but a scratch is a scratch and in only rarely straight across the metal. A scratch does not look like a discolored mark, it looks like, well, like a scratch.

Rhodium is a very hard and durable precious metal. On the spot metals market, rhodium is at $5800/troy ounce. The use of rhodium is to make white gold look whiter. Some folks are hooked on rhodium today, with the newly arisen popularity of white gold. The want absolutely no hint of yellow and rhodium solves that for them.

White gold alloys(the recipes of metal mixes for white gold)are more or less white in color. Some will look white from now on and others will show a slight yellowish tinge over time and exposure to various chemicals in the environment. Rhodium is plated to restore a very white color.

The plate of rhodium may last about a year, depending on the wearer of the jewelry. Rhodium will cover some discoloration in white gold but the gray heat discoloration is not well covered or disguised. Look closely at the ring when done and check for this discoloration at the same places. See if there is a shadow still there, even if not quite as visible. A discoloration from jewelry work torch heat should be buffed away before rhodium is applied for the best results.

Rhodium does not fill scratches. Any electroplate follows the contours of the jewelry to start with. A rhodium plated scratched ring will actually look worse with scratches appearing often more dominant than before. The requisite for good rhodium plating is that the jewelry have as perfect a finish as possible “before” the plate is applied.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for http://www.DiamondGems.info/. DiamondGems.info carries the best selection of loose diamonds, diamond rings, and diamond jewelry on the market. Browse through our selection of loose diamonds by size, cut, shape, type, and other features here: http://www.DiamondGems.info/subcategory/loose-diamond.html.

On Father’s Day I purchased a pre-engagement ring for my significant other from a local jewelery store. The ring appears to be yellow gold, however I forgot to ask. My man likes it a lot, so what should I do?

One of the ways is to melt it down, but of course it will destroy the jewellery. After you melt it, you will need to bring it to a metal analysis company that can split the metals apart, and analyse the quantity of gold in the clump of metal.

You also can take it to a pawn shop that buys gold. They will test it. It is really simple, and some shops wont even charge you. It only takes a couple of minutes.

Take the ring to a jewelry store and have an acid test done it is simeple will not hurt the ring and cheap to do. It will tell you the carat of gold. Just go to your local goldsmith. It’s a simple, 5 second acid test and it determines immediately if it’s gold, and what karat. We do it all the time. No charge at most places, as well. The jeweller uses a mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acid. The ring is gently scratched onto a “touchstone”, and then a couple of needles of known karat are also rubbed onto the stone. The aqua regia dissolves the alloy immediately, leaving the gold, and the higher the karat, the more yellow the mark left (though it eventually all dissolves).

Take the ring to a reputable jewler, other than the one you bought it from. Ask to have a carat test done it will let you know if it is gold and the carat of the gold. 24 carat being pure 10 carat being the lowest that can be legally called gold in the USA.

If the gold is real the molacules in the gold will be more packed together which makes it heavy. However, if the gold is fake the molacules will not be as tight and not very heavy. If you place real gold in water it will probably sink and displace water if its in a jug. If its not real gold it will probably float. It’s all about density and how much water is displaced.

A very simple way to tell if somehting is real gold is to put some foundation and face powder on the back of your hand and then rub the gold against it. If a black mark is left behind it is real gold. Real gold creates a chemical reaction with most makeup that fake gold will not.

One easy way to find out weather gold is fake or not…. put a magnet really close, if it sticks even a little its all fake and BS. Real gold will not show any affect toward magnets, I work for a jewlers company, so I know this stuff.

Usually if a piece of jewelry is gold it will be stamped with the stamp 14k or 12K stamp on the inside of a ring, on a clasp or a necklace etc. If it is a chain, “pile” the chain in a messy pile real gold chain will not “kink”.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for http://www.FashionJewelryStore.info/. FashionJewelryStore.info carries the best selection of fashion jewelry, watches and fragrances on the market. Start looking for diamond jewelry here: http://www.FashionJewelryStore.info/stone/diamond.html.

I was so upset last night. I looked down at my ring and realized a small diamond fell out! It was one of the small ones on the band. I told my FH and he got upset with himself for buying the ring. He got it from Zales so hopefully they can fix it. Ive only had it for a month! I hope this doesnt happen often. I just hope Im not too rough on it.

My ring is from Zales too. My came with a garentee that if the stone should fall out it would be replaced. You should check that out. Zales is a reputable company so it shouldn’t be a problem.

I got a better one. MY WHOLE DIAMOND FELL OUT. I had it for a couple months and one morning I woke up and I had a big whole in the middle of my ring. (My fiancee was out of town and I was so scared to tell him about it). I tore my whole house apart for the next week looking for it, retraced my steps from the day before with some friends, and we had no luck in finding it. It really sucks because he had saved up for 1 1/2 to be able to buy me that. It’s not just about the money we lost, he designed that with the jeweler and I will never be able to get that back. We didn’t have the ring insured yet (I didn’t know this) and the jeweler said he can put in another diamond but it would cost us $2500; so needless to say, I am without a ring.

We dont have insurance either, but Zales covers the diamonds regardless having insurance or not. We plan on getting insurance but just havent got around to it yet.

Depending on your homeowners insurance company, they may cover it. My parents policy covers damage to our items as well as extra for the jewelry we own. You might want to see what yours covers.

I wear it all the time except for when I shower. I get it cleaned once a month though. Plus I clean it myself everyday after I shower. My ring gets loose in the winter when the weather is cold, but it never slips past my knuckle. It spins a lot, but doesn’t come off. If your scared it might fall off, they have these new plastic, flexible wraps that you can put around the bottom of your ring. Kinda like a rubber grip to stop it from coming off. Then at least you don’t have to have it sized.

Make sure whoever your FH buys your ring from, sizes it right. It should feel a little tight going over your knuckle and should not be easy to come off. You should have to push your ring up to go over your knuckle. I have had mine for a year and have had no problems loosing it or sliding off my finger.

Do not wear your ring in hot tubs.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for http://www.4EngagementRing.info/. 4EngagementRing.info is the best place to buy engagement rings, wedding rings, and diamond rings. Browse through our selection of wedding jewelry and engagement rings here: http://www.4EngagementRing.info/category/wedding-jewelry.html.